Engraving PR

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spitfire

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Dec 22, 2007
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Location
bloomsburg,pa.
I have never done this so i don't know. Is it possible to engrave on PR as you would do on wood? Also, unrelated question. Which is more durable and resistant to breaking PR or Alumlite? Not in pen form but is disc form as in my mini's I have been turning?
 
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Jason,

The alumilite vs PR is a good question, but I don't have a good answer.

Just to confuse the issue, the PR Dawn is using now is more dense than Castin Craft. So, it should be stronger. So, not all PR is created equal.

The above are not hard facts, they are MY OBSERVATIONS in turning all of the materials.

Unfortunately, I fear you will have to conduct your own testing to find an answer. Those of us who have a "vested interest" in one product or the other are unlikely to be objective, no matter how hard we may try!!

Lousy answer, but the only honest one I have.
 
Actually that is a great answer. I will experiment myself as well but thought I would try to get feedback from here as well.

I hate to bring up the PR vs Alumilite debate again. I just don't want to invest in Alumilite if is has the same strength as PR which I know and have worked with in the past.
 
Yes, but most resins will need to be color filled to show good contrast.

I knew i would have to fill the engraved section for it to be more visible but thanks for confirming that for me.

I was worried that engraving it would be hard because it can be a bear to turn at times. I didn't know if I would have the risk of getting blowouts when engraving much like the ones you can get when turning.
 
I have had PR engraved and acrylester and the acrylics that come pre-made from venders. All were fine. The later turned white when engraved.
 
At the risk of starting flack, Jason (not with you, some others), resins "blowout" from the way the tool is placed against the spinning object.

Direct pressure will not damage it, VIBRATION and pressure CAN. So if you are engraving with a "router-type" action, avoid vibration. (MUCH EASIER said than done!!)
 
Jason, I'm gonna get detailed like Ed....lol
In my experience with PR I have had the brand that Mr Fiberglass sold engraved as well as the Castin' craft brand. Other than that I can't say as I have no experience. and as Stan states it has to be color filled and I've also done that with both brands and it worked quite well. One word of advice. Let the engraver know you plan on colorfilling it and sometimes they make a second pass to deepen the engraving to hold the fill better....good luck!

Ed stop posing at the same time as me! I had to add this:

When you find an engraver make sure they use Laser engraving as opposed to rotary engraving because as Ed said vibration plus pressure...BAD
 
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Great. Thank you all for the great info. So laser engraved and we are all good in da hood :)

I post pictures once they are completed, if the project get's that far.
 
If you are wondering about a disc, alumilite will not break easily and PR will. PR is harder than alumilite. Alumilite is stronger than PR. Big difference between strength and hardness. The water clear alumilite will be stronger than the new crystal clear alumilite, so if the disc is going to be thin like a record, I'd go with the water clear. It is harder to polish the water over the crystal. The strength is in the elasticity, so it takes a heck of a lot more force for you to snap a blank of alumilite over PR and because of the elasticity, it is more difficult to obtain a high shine. It's almost like comparing rubber to glass.
 
I have engraved many of the pr, acrylic, acryluster and alumilite pens and have no problems with any of them, the acrylic does frost white but can still be color filled if wanted, the others have to be color filled in order to show up.
 
I have engraved many of the pr, acrylic, acryluster and alumilite pens and have no problems with any of them, the acrylic does frost white but can still be color filled if wanted, the others have to be color filled in order to show up.

What do you like to use for the color infill?
 
Alt. Ivory blank from Ed4copies, Laser engraved locally
 

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I've had good luck with the color fills from:
http://www.laserbits.com/

Their page also contains info on suggested depth of engraving
for filling, etc. so if your engraver's not familiar with the process
that can help.

I've had some PR laser engraved, and where it was large open areas
the fill tended to get wiped back out. I asked the engraver about
making them deeper next time (which hasn't arrived yet), and he was
concerned about the PR melting as it was engraved - so a 2nd pass
would be better than 1 deep pass.
 
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